LEXINGTON, Ky. — Kentucky baseball faces rival Louisville for the first time this season on Tuesday at Jim Patterson Stadium in Louisville, Ky.

The eighth-ranked Wildcats will visit the No. 2 Cardinals in a top-10, in-state showdown. Kentucky has won 19 of its last 22 games and is coming off a series victory against Vanderbilt. Louisville (24-3) is coming off a series win at Virginia.

“We want to beat every team on our schedule,” Kentucky coach Nick Mingione said of the rivalry. “(Tuesday) is no different. This group is so focused. Will they be excited? Yes, that it’s Louisville. But I think we’ll do a really good job of explaining to them that it doesn’t matter who we play, we want to accomplish our game goals and that our plan works.”

The Cardinals have been dominant at home, winning 50 of their last 51 games in the comfortable confines of Jim Patterson Stadium.

Kentucky leads the all-time series 69-41-1, but Louisville has topped UK in five straight meetings.

“They walked us off twice there, the last couple of years,” Kentucky shortstop Connor Heady said. “We definitely have a chip on our shoulder.”